WEEK 15 -- CIF PLAYOFFS / CHAMPIONSHIPS

Patriots' reign falls

© East County Sports.com
SAN DIEGO (12-8-07) -- The script remained the same, the results were identical, but the Christian Patriots changed roles.

After securing the 2006 CIF Division V football title as an underdog, supporting actor, the 2007 Patriots entered Friday morning's (Dec. 7) final as the top-seeded headliner. However, second-seeded Bishop's followed the existing blueprints to take the championship following a 17-7 decision at Qualcomm Stadium.

A year ago, Christian barely held Francis Parker running back Gino Gordon (now a freshman starter at Harvard) to less than 100 yards -- he gained 94 -- to nip the Lancers for the crown. This go-round the Knights also barely met their goal by holding Patriots running back LAWRENCE WALKER right at the century mark and more than 59 yards short of his season average.

Div. V Final: Christian vs. The Bishop's

(Slideshow by Chris DeRosier)

It was an accomplishment event Bishop's' defenders were unsure they could achieve.

"We didn't face a top-flight back like Lawrence Walker all year," said Knights' senior Tim Costello, who would eventually score the go-ahead touchdown. "Absolutely we knew he was their biggest threat and we did what ever we could to shut him down."

Walker fought his way for 100 yards on 21 carries, scoring the lone touchdown for the Patriots. The senior finished his prep career with an East County record 5,112 yards -- the 4th-most in San Diego Section history. For the season, Walker collected 1,852 yards and 30 TDs.

Added Costello, "It was a fun experience today to shut down one of the top offenses in the county."

Both sides agreed that the turning point was a key 3rd-quarter conversion by the Knights.

After Christian took the second half kickoff and marched 80 yards on 11 plays for the go-ahead score, capped by a powerful 6-yard TD burst by Walker, the Knights immediately answered with their own 11-play drive which featured a key reception.

The defense of The Bishop's School held the Christian running game in check just enough to forge a 17-7 win in the CIF Div. V title game. Top: The Knights' Zach Frantz (left) registered the ballgame's lone sack on Patriots QB Erick Allen, leaving the top-seeded team in sadness (bottom). (Photos by Greg Eichelberger)

"I thought we grabbed the momentum and everything was coming together for us," said Christian coach MATT OLIVER. "Defensively, we had been stopping them in the first half. That was a big play or else we wouldn't have got the ball back."

"If we get that stop here, everything's good and we'd have the momentum. But when Costello got his foot inbounds to make that catch for a first down, things started to slip away for us."

Costello, the do-everything performer, made a fingertip grab of a rainbow lob pass from quarterback Tommy Wornham, quickly tapping a foot in the field of play before falling into the Bishop's' bench area. Four plays later, Costello raced 2 yards on an end-around to the right side for a 10-7 lead.

"Tim made a great play because I was throwing a little bit high all game," noted Wornham. "But Tim did a good job and got his foot in -- that was a changing moment."

Spring Valley's MICAH SEAU -- nephew of New England Patriots linebacker Junior Seau -- sealed the verdict by collecting a 2-yard TD pass from Wornham, capping a short drive after the desperate Patriots failed on a 4th-down try in their own territory with six minutes left.

Even with Walker and CHARLES THOMPSON (15 carries, 47 yards) in the backfield, Christian (11-1) had trouble converting on short-yardage situations, converting just 6-of-21 times on 3rd or 4th down. Included among the stops for the Knights was a 1st-half sack by Zach Frantz and a 2nd-half interception by Costello, which he returned 42 yards.

Costello also punted four times for a 44.5 average, including a 58-yarder. He also played defense, returned kicks and booted a 31-yard field goal for the only points of the first half.

"I knew Costello was good offensively, I didn't realize what a weapon he was on special teams," added Oliver. "He killed us on special teams, which put us in a hole all game."

CIF DIVISION V CHAMPIONSHIP THE BISHOP'S 17, CHRISTIAN 7

Two if by Land

Chrsitian High's Charles Thompson (3) follows the lead block of Lawrence Walker during Friday's CIF-SDS Division V championship contest. (Photo by Chris DeRosier)

However, Christian's offense, which was limited to just 90 yards and 4 first downs in the 1st half, adjusted for the quickness of the Knights' defensive line and linebackers.

Sophomore quarterback ERICK ALLEN, who equaled his 2nd-most productive game of the season with 159 passing yards, found running back Walker on a 27-yard screen pass. A few plays later, Allen pumped-faked to freeze a cornerback, then lofted a 31-yarder to MANNY WALKER to gain a first down at the Knights-6.

Two plays later, following lead blocks by Thompson and SAM HERNANDEZ, Lawrence Walker took a toss to the left side and powered through a pair of defenders and carried them the final 3 yards into the endzone.

Wornham finished 5-for-15 for 45 yards, while 7 different Knights carried the ball, topped by a 53-yard effort by Jacob Kelly. Allen completed 11-of-22 passes, as Christian's offense out-gained The Bishop's in yardage, 301-to-189.

"They put 10 in the box and we weren't prepared to block it and we didn't play hard enough," said senior linebacker PAT KELLY, who capped a standout career with 11 tackles (3 for losses) and a leaping interception which he returned 24 yards in the second quarter.

Also among the Patriots' tackling leaders were Hernandez, MICHAEL FIELDS, STEVEN PITTS and BOBBY McNEAL with five stops each.

"I thought Pat Kelly shined on the big stage here with a bunch of tackles, making several big plays including several for losses and the interception," Oliver added. "He played like a warrior."

"But give credit to Bishop's. They flew to the ball and out-played us. Nobody has stopped us running the ball all year long, so that was a surprise."

PREDICTIONS / PREVIEW
One team will achieve
perfection in D-5 final

© East County Sports.com
SAN DIEGO (12-6-07) -- The best piece of information during last night's television newscast did not occur during the news or sports segment, it was the weather report.

According to these meteorological experts, the forecast for Friday (Dec. 7) is simple: rain, rain, and more rain.

The wetness will receive a warm welcome by the Christian High Patriots, who will place its perfect 11-0 mark against another side with a perfect ledger in The Bishop's School. Although the teams are Coastal League rivals, their regular season contest was wiped out during the wildfires in October.

Now, everything is on the line as the pair play for the San Diego CIF Division V championship of the San Diego Section at 10 a.m.

"This is an interesting match up across the board,"said Christian coach MATT OLIVER. "You can't ask for a better final than two 11-0 teams. And Bishop's runs a lot of the same stuff we do because of the presence of (former Christian QB and now Bishop's offensive coordinator) JOEL ALLEN. But we'll be ready for whatever they throw our way."

If this game turns into a mud bog field conditions it should be advantageous to the team which does the better job running the football, and the Patriots have a pair of solid ball-carriers.

While everyone knows about senior LAWRENCE WALKER, who now ranks 5th in section history with more than 5,000 career rushing yards, teammate CHARLES THOMPSON proved formidable in last week's 26-21 semifinal-round victory over Francis Parker with his own superb effort, gaining 148 yards on just 23 carries -- a solid 6.4 yards per rush.

The Bishop's offers a more balanced attack, but the Knights'path to Qualcomm Stadium came via their defense. Until the regular season finale, The Bishop's had yet to allow double-digit scoring by an opponent, and even then Francis Parker only netted 10 points.

Disregard the 45 points the Knights surrendered to Horizon in last week's semifinals. The Bishop's was riding a 49-7 lead before coach Mike David emptied the bench and played his reserves the majority of the second half.

But just whom did the Knights defeat to build such a lofty mark?

While Christian tangled with -- and defeated -- several schools in higher size classifications, The Bishop's downed teams such as lowly St. Monica (Santa Monica), Maui (Hawai'i), Escondido Charter and off-the-map Federal Prep from Tijuana.

In fact, the combined record of the Knights' non-league opponents (not counting the unknown record by the team from Mexico) is a pitiful 15-43-1 (.263) -- This is a competitive schedule?

Even college football's BCS System would reject this team from its computer rankings. Plus, Christian knows how to play pass defense, with victories over Santana and Santa Fe Christian as prime examples.

Thus, in its third straight trip to the section final, it's a second straight title for... Christian, 20-7.